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Boulder Valley schools see modest enrollment growth

By Amy Bounds Camera Staff Writer

Posted:
12/11/2012 07:48:20 PM MST

Updated:
12/11/2012 07:49:14 PM MST

Fairview sophomores Humsini Acharya, right, and Taylor McAfee enjoy time with their friends during lunch period at Fairview High School in Boulder on Tuesday. Fairview's enrollment jumped to 2,132 students, making it the district s largest high school. Five years ago, Fairview's enrollment was about 1,900.
(
JESSICA CUNEO
)

The Boulder Valley School District saw a smaller-than-usual incoming kindergarten class this year, but growth in high school made up for the loss.

Overall, district enrollment is up 195 students this school year, a 0.7 percent increase, according to the district's official October count. The October numbers are used by the state to determine school district funding.

Last year, enrollment increased 0.6 percent, and the five-year average is 0.8 percent. This year's enrollment total is 29,160 students.

"Our enrollment is very stable with slight growth," said Boulder Valley Superintendent Bruce Messinger. "It's a pattern we anticipate continuing."

He said the district will watch the kindergarten numbers to see if the trend continues.

District senior planner Glen Segrue said birth rates continue to drop in Boulder Valley, but that drop hadn't been reflected in kindergarten enrollment -- last year's kindergarten class was unusually large. The reason, district officials said, was because families with young children are moving to the area and out-of-district students are enrolling.

At the high school level, Messinger said, the district is monitoring Boulder's Fairview High School, where enrollment jumped to 2,132 students, making it the district's largest high school. Five years ago, Fairview's enrollment was about 1,900 students.

Messinger said Fairview is close to the point where the district will need to limit open enrollment for students who live outside the school's attendance area.

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At the high school level, the increase was attributed to a large incoming class, a jump in students enrolling from outside the school district and improved high school retention rates through dropout prevention programs.

At individual schools, both Louisville Elementary and Louisville's Monarch K-8 posted increases. Louisville's Monarch High School also had more growth than expected, up 62 students.

Messinger noted enrollment numbers came in very close to projections, which means the district didn't over- or under-budget based on its state per-pupil funding.

"Accuracy is really helpful," he said. "The projections were incredibly right on."

In the neighboring St. Vrain Valley School District, enrollment is growing faster. St. Vrain saw a 4.6 percent increase this school year for a total of 28,441 students -- up 1,248 students from the previous year.

St. Vrain saw its greatest gains in its new program for home-schooled students, in Frederick, in Erie, in Mead and in its charter schools. The Longmont schools also saw moderate growth.

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